Monday Motivation: The Writeous Babe Manifesto or Encouragement for Women Who Write

Image by Denise Krebs via Flickr/Creative Commons

You are a writer. 


You are perhaps also a wife, mother, sister, or career woman. 


You are most likely a daughter, lover, and friend as well. 


Look back over your life. Actually, just look back over this past week. You probably can't find many (if any) examples of instances when you failed or neglected to mother or love or be the best employer, boss or homemaker that you can be. You may not have been perfect this week, but you gave it your all. 


Chances are, however, there are plenty of days when you have failed or neglected to write. You didn't go to that workshop you wanted to attend. You didn't write that poem, story, or essay in your head. You didn't jot down those ideas you had a compelling new character or blog post.


You didn't write because you just didn't have the time, because you were busy being a good mother, lover, wife, sister, daughter, or friend. You were busy being the best employee, boss, entrepreneur or homemaker. You couldn't carve out time to write, you told yourself, because that would be selfish. 


I have news: it's time to be selfish. 


Chances are, you're hesitant to call yourself a writer these days because it's been so long since you've spent hours at your favorite coffee shop writing in your journal or spent a day at your computer working on your novel. Perhaps you've NEVER done things like this. 


But you are a writer. Otherwise, you wouldn't have felt compelled to read this. And the thing that made you read this is the artist inside you, the writer inside you, and she's determined to make her voice, your voice, heard. 


So here is your simple assignment -- write every day. 


Whether that means getting up early or staying up late, write every day. 


Whether that means taking your journal with you to the bathroom, writing during your lunch break or during your kid's nap time, write every day. 


Whether it's for five minutes or two hours, write every day. 


Begin with this. Start here. 


And the longer you continue this practice of writing every day the more you will feel like a writer and soon you'll realize that taking time to write isn't selfish at all. Your writing has the potential to inspire other women to express themselves and live their best lives. Your dedication has the potential to inspire all those around you – your children, colleagues, family, and friends – to pursue their passions.


For a creative woman carving out space and time to practice your craft, to create art, to write, is not selfish; it is essential. It is your water. It is your daily bread. And after you are well-fed, you can then go out and nourish the world.